Definition of "deathblow" [death•blow]

• A stroke or blow that causes death. (noun)
• A destructive event or occurrence: dealt a deathblow to our hopes. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Attempting to recreate something so perfect with just one touch of CGI is a deathblow, which is slowly becoming true of a lot of horror movies."
• "In a surprising move, which some are calling a deathblow to his candidacy, the Ku Klux Klan today decided to not endorse Senator Barack Obama in his bid for the Presidency of the United States."
• "Dan Kathan, a CVIC member, added that a 60-ft. building limit would be a "deathblow" to Collegetown, in effect stopping all development in the neighborhood."